Foldable frame



D. LARIOS Aug. 30, 1960 FOLDABLE FRAME Filed Nov. 19, 1958 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 31!, 195'!) fine FOLDABLE FRAME Daniel Larios, 2513 Kingston Drive, Houston, Tex, as-

signor of fifty percent to William E. Ford, Houston, Tex.

Filed Nov. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 775,073

7 Claims. (Ci. 40154) This invention relates to a picture frame made of a foldable material as cardboard, pasteboard, plastic, and the like which is adapted to be folded into inter-latched corner assembly to hold in place therein a picture frame and its transparent cover thereover and it is a primary object of this invention to provide such a picture frame.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a picture from of this class adapted to have the corners thereof inter-latched into tight abutment and at the same time maintaining the appearance of the frame.

It is also a further object of this invention to provide a picture frame of this class which may be quickly and positively assembled with no elements observable except the side panels.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a picture frame of this class with all parts of the frame included in a single blank.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a development view of the single blank comprising the picture frame;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the picture frame in assembled position;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the picture frame in assembled position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional panel view taken along line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional panel view taken along line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing in enlarged detail a corner of the development view shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a frame corner in assembled position showing a modification of corner construction with adjacent corners in abutment along a convex line; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a frame corner in assembled position showing a modification of corner construction with adjacent corners in abutment along a concave line.

Referring in detail to the drawings, a picture frame blank is made by stamping out from a material as cardboard and the like a blank 10, as best shown in Fig. 1, having designated areas or portions including a central unfolded area 11 and concentrically outwardly thereof three parallel extending panels 12, 13, and 14, such panels extending along each side of the central unfolded area 11. The outermost panel 14 has three aligned flanges 15 outwardly connected thereto and two tabs 16 in between and separating such flanges. The central panel 13 is bevelled at the outer end thereof along a fold line and has a triangularly shaped flange 19 connected thereto, such flange in turn having a tab 16' connected thereto and extended outwardly therefrom. The opposed panels 12 immediately to the left and to the right of the unfolded central area 11, as shown in Fig. 1, have straps 20 extending outwardly from the ends thereof.

All of the tabs 16 and 16' are of mushroom shape with the mushroom heads 18 foldable along dotted lines as indicated.

The central unfolded picture area 11 has four aligned, outwardly arched slots along each edge thereof with the slots located centrally being designated by the reference numerals 22, and with the slots located outwardly being designated by the reference numeral 23. Inwardly of the central arched slots 22 the central area 11 has two aligned slits 21 and at each corner the central area 11 has a diagonally extending slit 24 between the arched slots 23 on either side thereof.

In assembly, the mushrooms 18 of the central tabs '17 are inserted through the slits 21 and then the mushroom 18 is inserted upwardly from the other side of the frame to extend through the arcuate slots 22 to latch therewith so that the mushrooms 18 are enclosed within a border which is hollow and substantially triangular in cross section as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, departure from a completely triangular shape however occurring in that the outer panel 14 in this folded position is the panel that is in contact with the central folded area and extends angularly upwardly and inwardly from the upper surface of the centralunfolded area 11 for a purpose to be hereafter described.

At each corner of the picture frame a special feature of construction exists in that the strap 20 thereat extends from the panel 12 to which it is attached at right angles to such panel and thus uprightly and in sideward abutment against the inner surface of the panel 12 of the adjacent side of the frame when such panel is in the folded position as shown in Fig. 2.

With the straps 20 thus positioned, corner latching is effected by inserting the mushrooms of the corner tabs 16 through the diagonally extending corner slits 24, as shown in Fig. 3, and 'then extending the tabs 16 back along the undersurface of the frame and inserting their mushrooms up through the arcuate corner slots 23 to latch therewith and thus form the corner assembly in which the beveled or triangularly shaped ends 31 of the panels 13 take position so that the points 32 thereof, which are innermost in the unfolded position of Fig. 1, are outermost and uppermost in the folded position of Fig. 2 while the points 33 thereof, which are outermost in the unfolded position of Fig. 1, are innermost in the folded position of Fig. 2. It thus follows that the tn'angularly shaped flange 19 must contribute to the latch by upstanding above the diagonally extending slits 24 so that the undersides of these flanges 19, as shown in Fig. 1, are in upstanding abutment at 19a, as shown in Fig. 2, whereas the upper sides of these flanges 19, as shown in Fig. l, are inwardly as shown in Fig. 2.

In the event it may be desired to ornament the frame corners, they may be made to abut along a visible convex line as shown in Fig. 7 or along a visible concave line 190' as shown in Fig. 8. This is accomplished by changing the bend line to the position 1% shown in Fig. 6 to provide a flange 19 with upper surface to extend along the convex line 190 shown in Fig. 7, or by changing the bend line to the position 190' shown in Fig. 6 to provide a flange 19 with upper surface to extend along the concave line 190', also shown in Fig. 7.

For purposes of protection, and to improve under side appearance, the under side of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3, may have the visible tabs, slots, and slits covered with a tape 34, or other suitable covering material, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

As indicated in Fig. 4, the picture 26 which is to be framed extends under the panel 14 and a glass cover 25 therefor may be placed thereover, also to extend under the inner edges of panels 14 so that the panels, assembled as hereinabove described, also overextend the glass cover 25 and hold it in position.

Such a frame is employable for purposes other than 7 to support .a picture frame and cover in latched position the picture .cover, as a glass sheet, and the picture thereunder. Thus, as the invention is not limited to less than such consideration it is not limited to any specific frame construction, but rather constructions other than those shown in the drawings are considered as such may fall within the broad spirit of the invention and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed and merited for the appended claims a r What is claimed is: V a g l. A frame of foldable material such as cardboard and the like for the framing of pictures including the transparent covers therefor and adapted for folding into assembly with picture and cover by the folding and interlocking of latch memberS and comprising in unassem bled form, a one piece blank made from said material and providing a rectangular central unfolded area with border areas of equal width and creased upon blanking to provide three parallel extending concentric panels along each side of the central unfolded area, each outermost panel having three aligned flanges connected thereto to extend outwardly therefrom and also having'two tabs connected to said outermost panel and separating said,

flanges, each central panel being rnitered at the outer end thereof and each miter having a triangularly shaped;

flange connected to the outer edge thereof, and each triangularly shaped flange having a tab connected thereto to extend outwardly therefrom, a pair of opposed innermost panels having straps at either end thereof, each of said tabs being substantially mushroom shaped with the mushroom outermost, said rectangular central unfolded said central unfoldedarea also having a diagonal slot at each corner between the arched slots of adjacent sides, 7

in assembly the centralmushrooms being inserted first extending inwardly and downwardly from the uprights,

and the outer panels constituting the angularly downwardly and outwardly extending members -to define apicture area inwardly thereof and to hold down the cover,

of the frame, at each corner the strap thereat extending upright inwardly of the upright panel of the edge adjacent ,to' the edge supplying the strap, the tabs of each corner triangular flange extending at such corner down wardly through thediagonal slot thereat and then back underneath the rectangular central unfolded area and then upwardly to latch in the adjacent arcuate slot whereby the corners of the frame are firmly latched with the triangular flange surfaces in face to face abutment while the strap at each corner serves as a latch member by which the corner of one edge of the frame is latched to the adjacent edge thereof.

2. A frame of foldable material such as cardboard for the framing of pictures includ ng the transparent covers therefor, and comprising in unassembled form, a one piece blank providing a central unfolded area with border areas of equal width and creased upon blanking to provide three parallel extending concentric panels along each side of the central unfolded area, each outermost panel having aligned flanges connected thereto to extend outwardly therefrom and also having tab means connected to said outermost panel and separating said flanges, each central panel being mitered at the outer end thereof and each miter having a triangularly shaped flange connected to the outer edge thereof, and each triangularly shaped flange having a tab connected thereto to extend outwardly therefrom, the innermost panels having straps at the ends thereof, each of said tabs being substantially mushroom shaped with the mushroom outermost, said central unfolded area having aligned, arched slots along each edge thereof arched in outward direction with aligned slit means centrally inwardly thereof and parallel to such edge, said central unfolded area also having a diagonal slot at each corner between thearchedslots of adjacent sides, in assembly central mushroom insertion first downwardly through said slit means and underneath the central unfolded area followed by arcuate slot engagement upwardly by central mushroom insertion results in latching said flanges extending outwardly from theoutermost panels over the central unfolded area between the tabs to bear upon theupper surface of the central unfolded area whereby the inner panels constitute the substantially upright outer border of the frame, the central panels constituting frame parts extending inwardly and downwardly from the uprights, and the outer panels constituting the angularlyt downwardly and outwardly extending members defining a picture area inwardly thereof and serving as means to hold down the cover of the frame, said straps at the frame corners extending upright inwardly of the upright panel of the edge adjacent to the edge supplying the strap, the tabs of each corner triangular flange extending at such corner downwardly through the diagonal slot thereat and then back underneath the rectangular central unfolded area and then upwardly to latch in the adjacent arcuate slotwhereby the corners of the frame are firmly latched with the triangular flange surfaces in face to face abutment while the corner straps serve aslatch members by which the corner of one edge of the frame is latched to the adjacent edge thereof. V

3. A frame of foldable material for the framing of pictures including the transparent covers therefor, and comprising in unassembled form, a one piece blank providing a central unfolded area with border areas creased upon blanking to provide three parallel extending concentric panels along each side of the central unfolded area, each central panel being mitered at the outer end thereof and having a triangularly shaped flange connected to the miter and each flange having a tab connected thereto to extend outwardly therefrom, the innermo'st panels having straps at the ends thereof, each of said tabs being substantially mushroom shaped with the mushroom outermost, said central unfolded area having slots at each corner thereof archedin outward direction and also having a diagonal slot at each corner between the arched corner slots, each outermost panel having between the ends thereof tab means constructed as said tabs and flanges on either side of said tab means, both flanges and tab means extending outwardly from said outermost panel, and the central unfolded area having outwardly arched slot means and slit means inwardly thereof,'both in transverse alignment with said tab means whereby in assembly tab means mushroom insertion successively downwardly through said slit means and upwardly through said slot means results in latching said flange means over said central unfolded area outwardly of said outermost panels in their folded positions to define a picture area and to bear as hold down means for picture cover and picture whilesaid central panels constitute the angularly inwardly and downwardly extending frame border panel and said inner panels constitute the upright frame border edges, said frame corner straps extending upright inwardly of the upright panel of the edge adjacent to the edge supplying the strap, the tabs of each corner triangular flange extending at such corner downwardly through the diagonal slot thereat and then back underneath the rectangular central unfolded area and then upwardly to latch in the adjacent arcuate slot whereby the corners of the frame are firmly latched with the triangular flange surfaces in face to face abutment while the corner straps serve as latch members by which the corner of one edge of the frame is latched to the adjacent edge thereof.

4. A frame of foldable material for the framing of pictures including the transparent covers therefor, and comprising in unassembled form, a one piece blank providing a central unfolded area with border areas creased upon blanking to provide three parallel extending concentric panels along each side of the central unfolded area, each central panel being rnitered at the outer end thereof and having a triangularly shaped flange connected to the miter and each flange having a tab connected thereto to extend outwardly therefrom, the innermost panels having straps at the ends thereof, each of said tabs being substantially mushroom shaped with the mushroom outermost, said central unfolded area having slots at each corner thereof arched in outward direction and also having a diagonal slot at each corner between the arched corner slots, means to latch said panels in assembled position so that said outermost panels define a picture area and bear as hold down means for picture cover and picture while said central panels constitute the angularly inwardly and downwardly extending frame border panel and said inner panels constitute the upright frame border edges, said frame corner straps extending upright inwardly of the upright panel of the edge adjacent to the edge supplying the strap, the tabs of each corner triangular flange extending at such corner downwardly through the diagonal slot thereat and then back underneath the rectangular central unfolded area and then upwardly to latch in the adjacent arcuate slot whereby the corners of the frame are firmly latched with the triangular flange surfaces in face to face abutment while the corner straps serve as latch members by which the corner of one edge of the frame is latched to the adjacent edge thereof.

5. A frame as claimed in claim 4 in which the miter lines between said central panels and said triangularly shaped flanges extend in a straight line.

6. A frame as claimed in claim 4 in which the miter lines between said central panels and said triangularly shaped flanges are convex with reference to said panels and concave with reference to said flanges.

7. A frame as claimed in claim 4 in which the miter lines between said central panels and said triangularly shaped flanges are concave with reference to said panels and convex with reference to said flanges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

